The drawstring in the hood, what to do when it disappears

Sep 12, 2026

Short answer: Attach a safety pin or a straw to the end of the cord and guide it through the channel. It takes five minutes and needs no tools. Afterwards, a knot at each end stops it from happening again the next time the hoodie is washed.

How to pull the cord back through

Attach a safety pin to the end of the cord and close it securely. Push the pin into the hole at the hood and work it through the channel with your fingers. Gather the fabric over the pin and smooth it out behind, and it slowly moves forward. This works on all styles in bamboo hoodie for men.

Stop it happening again

Tie a knot in each end of the cord, and it cannot slip into the channel in the wash. The knot has to be bigger than the hole, but not so big that it presses or looks clumsy. A simple double knot is usually enough. This also applies to the styles in bamboo hoodie for women, where the cord sits the same way.

The cord can be replaced

If the cord has broken or worn out, a new one can be threaded in the same way. Use a cord of roughly the same thickness so it slides easily through the channel and lies flat. You can also pick another colour if you want to give the hoodie a slightly different look. See the other styles in bamboo sweat for men and women.

A straw as an alternative

If you do not have a safety pin, a straw works. Push the end of the cord into the straw and pinch it flat, or wrap a piece of tape around it so the cord holds. Push the straw through the channel the same way as the pin. A stiff straw is easiest, because it does not bend when it meets a seam.

When it gets stuck halfway

Sometimes the pin stops at a seam in the middle of the hood. Do not pull hard, or you may tear the fabric or twist the cord. Feel where the pin is and gently tip it past the seam with your fingers from the outside. Work a little at a time. With some patience it usually gets through without trouble.

Make the ends even

Once the cord is through, lay the hood flat and pull the cord until both ends are the same length. It looks neatest and makes it easier to tighten the hood evenly. A small mark in the middle of the cord with a pen on the inside helps you find the centre again next time.

Frayed ends

The ends of the cord can fray over time, which makes them harder to feed through the hole. A knot at each end holds the fibres together. You can also wrap a small piece of tape tightly around the end while you thread the cord and remove it afterwards. If needed, trim a few millimetres off for a clean end.

Washing and drying with the cord in

You can easily wash the hoodie with the cord in, as long as there are knots at the ends. Close the zip too, if there is one, and turn the hoodie inside out. The cord dries more slowly than the rest of the fabric, so let it hang free while the hoodie dries flat.